Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director at obsolete equipment supplier EU Automation, discusses how Industry 4.0 is changing the way businesses approach maintenance, and what is the role of the maintenance engineer in the factory of the future?

Smart devices have created connections across industrial operations with the potential to empower plant or distributed workers. For many producers going through a digital transformation, these modern tools can take too long to deploy, with too much investment required to decipher and deliver relevant data to the right employees.

When a motor is in use it is possible for the shaft to become electrically charged, which can be dangerous and also cause internal damage to the motor. Many solutions to this are expensive and also add significantly to the total lifetime running costs of the motor.

A new addition to SKF’s range of lubrication products, the LMC 301 is a programmable controller for applications where sophisticated control of lubricant delivery is required. Designed for use with pumps that have no built-in controller, the LMC 301 combines all critical lubrication system management functions in a single package, simplifying system setup, operation, monitoring and maintenance.

SPM Instrument has added to its Intellinova range with the Intellinova Parallel EN. It is particularly well suited for applications where a critical success factor is the capacity to complete the required measurement within a very limited timeframe, e.g. due to short process cycles.

It’s a challenging problem to accurately predict reliability with limited data. That’s why over the years igus has built up a large database of life calculations and other engineering information about the performance of its bearings, cables and energy chains in various applications.

Precision bearing manufacturer Schaeffler UK has extended its range of condition monitoring (CM) services for the UK market. The company says that with its combination of knowledge in bearing failure analysis, vibration monitoring, fitting and maintenance of bearings, and its own portfolio of condition monitoring equipment, it is positioned to offer CM services to a wide range of industry sectors, including rail, wind energy, paper, steel, food, mining and quarrying and pharmaceuticals.

Drive lifetime is prolonged with a new service from ABB, which analyses existing conditions to predict future maintenance needs and optimise operation. ABB-certified engineers analyse the performance and condition of the drive on-site, and use their expertise to provide detailed diagnostics and maintenance recommendations for the end user.

Predictive maintenance is the best answer to minimising the risks of equipment failure, however, monitoring practices in the past have been expensive, problematic and at worst, unreliable. The solution is to switch to what Mitsubishi Electric refers to as ‘Smart Condition Monitoring’, a system which can connect to rotating equipment and provide plant-wide 24-7 monitoring. PWE reports.

This article is based on guidance provided in the British Fluid Power Association’s training course titled ‘Small Bore Tubing Integrity Course – using twin ferrule compression fittings’. Following on from our look at tube preparation in our November edition, this month, we look at tube bending principles.

Delek Refining, Inc. will use a new Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-based Connected Performance Services (CPS) offering to improve the performance of its refinery in Tyler, Texas, it was announced by Honeywell recently.

This article is based on guidance provided in the British Fluid Power Association’s training course titled ‘Small Bore Tubing Integrity Course – using twin ferrule compression fittings’. Following on from our look at tube preparation in our October edition, this month, we look at tube end requirements.

Industries with highly automated processes, such as food & beverage and pharmaceuticals face many challenges, especially in terms of maintaining a safe environment. As increased legislation continues to require higher standards, Bürkert Fluid Control Systems has developed a series of safety valve solutions that can be retro-fitted to existing control systems or incorporated into new designs.

A condition monitoring system installed on a paper coating machine has enabled the Mitsubishi HiTec Paper Europe plant in Bielefeld, Germany to switch from time-based to condition-based monitoring, helping to avoid unnecessary machine shutdowns. Enabling the new system is a Mitsubishi Electric L-series PLC that operates as a bidirectional gateway between the controller and sensors. PWE reports.

This article is based on guidance provided in the British Fluid Power Association’s training course titled ‘Small Bore Tubing Integrity Course – using twin ferrule compression fittings’. This month, we look at tube preparation.

Annual energy savings of at least £10,000 and increased productivity have been realised by Heritage Trade Frames, a fabricator of domestic and commercial windows, doors and conservatories in the North West of England, after opting for a compressed air systems upgrade from Atlas Copco.

Howie Emerson, implementation consultant, Bentley Systems, looks at safety and asset health monitoring in the power industry and how to avoid complacency and encourage strong responses to weak signals.

Howie Emerson, implementation consultant, Bentley Systems, looks at safety and asset health monitoring in the power industry and how to avoid complacency and encourage strong responses to weak signals.

This is part of a series of articles based on guidance provided in the British Fluid Power Association’s newly introduced training course titled ‘Small Bore Tubing Integrity Course – using twin ferrule compression fittings’. This month, we present part 2 of guidance regarding end termination identification.

Conditions in a flue gas duct are extreme. Heightened exposure to heat and aggressive chemicals can cause the steel structure to crack or fracture resulting in leakage. In the worst case, this can lead to plant shutdowns and expensive repairs.

Food and beverage manufacturing facilities are tough environments for bearings. The avoidance of premature failures calls for smart approaches to their selection, operation and maintenance. PWE spoke to David Oliver, channel and platform development manager bearings and units at SKF.

A large supplier of bottled and draught beers was experiencing numerous lighting problems on their keg cleaning and sterilisation lines. Since its initial installation conventional fluorescent tubes were used for overhead lighting and at strategic points along the line to facilitate manual inspection and control.

The biennial co-located events; Drives & Controls, Fluid Power & Systems, Plant and Asset Management, European Offshore Energy, and Air-Tech Exhibitions – are once again set to return to Birmingham’s NEC (Halls 3/3A) from 12-14th April 2016, alongside MACH 2016 and National Electronics Week 2016. Collectively the exhibitions will be the largest manufacturing and engineering events of 2016, and will create an unmissable event. PWE reports.

This is part of a series of articles based on guidance provided in the British Fluid Power Association’s newly introduced training course titled ‘Small Bore Tubing Integrity Course – using twin ferrule compression fittings’. This month, we present part 2 of guidance regarding planning the layout of a tube system.

Safety and security are two high priorities for installers and users of electrical switchgear. To prevent personal injury or property damage as a result of issues such as fault currents (short circuits), a number of industry standards and regulations have to be followed.

This is part of a series of articles based on guidance provided in the British Fluid Power Association’s newly introduced training course titled ‘Small Bore Tubing Integrity Course – using twin ferrule compression fittings’. This month, we present part 1 of guidance regarding planning the layout of a tube system.

The biennial Plant and Asset Management Exhibition, co-located alongside; Drives & Controls, European Offshore Energy, Air-Tech and Fluid Power & Systems Exhibitions – is once again set to return to Birmingham’s NEC (Halls 3/3A) from 12-14th April 2016, alongside MACH 2016 and National Electronics Week 2016. Collectively the exhibitions will be the largest manufacturing and engineering events of 2016, and will create an unmissable event.